A House doesn't make a Home...(?)

Hello traveller.

I have been fascinated with the concept of a "share-house" since I was a hyper-imaginative 9 year old kid. The idea of creating a new family... Not being bound by any parental authority... And especially the dynamics between housemates as they eventually fall into the roles of a sterotypical "family".

I guess it's somewhat a vicarious fantasy - I have never lived in a share-house. And as a result, I am compelled to write about one. To create a life that I would want for myself. That, selfish as it may seem, was the catalyst for this Pilot concept.

The house itself was born from several sources, which I will now demonstate:

1)Heartbreak High
Anybody who grew up in the 90's will testify: the house in this show made you want to leave home. It was part wharehouse, part art space - all cool.

This was probably the genesis for my obsession. The house had a revolving door of renters - but the awkwardness was always soon replaced by a familiarity and jocular atmosphere that was comforting and exciting. To this day, I want to live with Drazic!

2)Richard Lowenstein
This guy is the brains behind two of the greatest share-house films in Australian history: Dogs in Space and He Died With A Felafel In His Hand.

In different ways, these films fill out the emotional longing and distance that can result from being away from your biological family, and stranded with these new people. You aren't always going to get along. You may fall in love. You may have your heart broken. Sometimes there's nobody to talk to.

Dogs uses the barrier of constant noise, mess and clinger-ons to establish this house as anything but a haven. Felafel, contrastly, uses more silence than anything - as most feelings are bottled up, and words left unsaid, can ultimately do more damage than good.

3)Spaced
Finally, a Brit-Com! And not just any Brit-Com - arguably the best written, produced and acted British Comedy in recent history. (At least on par with The Office and Nathan Barley).

This show relied heavily on the chemistry and dynamic between two relative strangers (Tim and Daisy) who over time developed a strong bond that one could only equate to that of a soulmate. They have ridiculous personal jokes. They are indelibly tied up in each others lives. It's quite beautiful, really.

And it is in this series that the whole mantra for the series can be found:

Tim: Marsha, they say the family of the twenty-first century is made up of friends, not relatives. If that's true, then you're the best auntie I've ever had.

Aww.

I do not want to create a show that is insular or clique-ish. I do not want to create a show that is centred around the house itself. But rather, the show must be inviting, fun, energetic and honest.

The house isn't just a setting, it's a character.

-C